Evolution of Cooperation

Primal Needs

Primal Needs encourage cooperation.

Achievement: greater with cooperation.

Management exploits competition and strives to enable cooperation.

Knowledge: greater with cooperation.

Conjectures invite competitive cooperation.

Fitness: better with cooperation.

Clarification leads to competition.

Individuality: improves cooperation.

A sense of self competes where individuality is irrelevant or lacking.

Association: usual context for cooperation.

One shared realitycompetes with alternative shared realities.

Governance: requires cooperation to avoid tragedy of the commons and exploitation by sociopaths.

Politics assumes both cooperation (within a sub-group) and competition between sub-groups.

Competence: accepts cooperation and competition and handles them appropriately.

Effectiveness may require cooperation. However, it is often boosted by competition.

Evolutionary Mechanisms

Because competition is intrinsic to evolution, scientists have viewed cooperation as a puzzle. Much research has therefore focused on how cooperation might develop i.e. how it might prove to be advantageous. So far evidence exists for five mechanisms for the evolution of cooperation or positive helpfulness. These mechanisms can be related to the psychosocial pressures . They assume that selection occurs at multiple levels, not just on genes. This is certainly true for humans, given language and culture.

  1. Direct reciprocity i.e. individuals who encounter each other repeatedly find it is better to do things for each other. This is advantageous for both parties. It relates to achievement (RL1) for the two individuals.
  2. Spatial selection i.e. clusters of individuals may see cooperation as more appropriate, and this is advantageous. This is association producing a reality (RL5) characterized by cooperation.
  3. Kinship preference i.e. relatives cooperate and help each other. This is advantageous for the clan, and relates to their individuality (RL4).
  4. Indirect reciprocity i.e. one individual helps another who has a high reputation. Advantage accrues based on the known association with the higher status individual. Approval and reputation are forms of acceptability, which is based on the safety instinct (RL3). Note that status is based on adjustment (RL3).
  5. Altruistic acts i.e. selfless acts for the good of another. The advantage comes through the deliberate strengthening of the group even at personal cost. This selflessness is the pressure associated with willingness (RL7) and is typified by the tireless competence of a soldier or a rescue worker.

Two Primal Needs are missing from this list from the literature:

RL2: Knowledge. However, it is rather likely that individuals and group will quickly learn that cooperation is possible and will produce an advantage. This discovery becomes shared knowledge that will be sustained and applied.

RL6: Governance. It is possible to shape and organise cooperation if the group's political institutions are sufficiently mature. Lack of cooperation can destroy a group through internal competition and exploitation of common goods.

Initially posted: 30-Nov-2013. Last updated: 10-Jan-2023